Despite their convenience and quiteness of operation, electric-powered implements such as lawnmowers, snowblowers, edgers and the like have the common disadvantage that their electric power cords tend to get in the way of implement operation and become tangled, damaged, or even severed. While a spring-driven wind-up reel might be provided to eliminate excess cord and reduce the possibilities of tangling, there would still be a danger that the cord might become cut by the blades of the device or twisted about the implement's operating shaft. Such occurrences not only render the implement inoperative but also present a significant risk of possible injury to the user.
One aspect of this invention lies in the discovery that such problems may be eliminated or greatly reduced by providing a bracket assembly which direct the power cord upwardly and rearwardly away from the motor of the implement and over the shoulder of the user. Not only is the cord supported away from the ground in the immediate vicinity of the wheeled implement, but, because it extends over the user's shoulder, is positioned to permit minimum interference with turning movement of the machine (and user) in one direction or the other. The result is a relatively simple but highly effective device for facilitating the operation of AC-powered lawnmowers and other wheeled implements equipped with push handles.
In brief, the bracket assembly takes the form of a C-shaped clamp having a pair of arms spaced apart a distance sufficient to receive a portion of a standard tubular handle therebetween. A pair of set screws extend at right angles through the clamp and are directly engagable with the portion of the tubular handle received between the arms of the clamp. One of the screws extends through the base of the clamp so that as it is tightened the handle tubing tends to be urged in a direction away from the base towards the free ends of the clamp's arms. The arms are provided with openings through which the lower end of an elongated support rod or standard extends; therefore, the tightening of the base screw not only urges the tubular handle portion into tight locking engagement with the lower portion of the rod, but also secures the rod within the openings of the clamp. The set screws therefore constitute simple but highly effective locking means for simultaneously securing the clamp to a handle formed of any of a wide variety of standard-sized tubular members and also locking the support rod to both the clamp and the handle in a selected position of adjustment depending on the height and preference of the user. In a preferred embodiment, the portion of the support rod extending between the arms of the clamp is provided with an indentation or arcuate recess which receives a portion of the curved wall of the tubular handle, thereby increasing the security of the interlock between the parts and also reducing the possibility that the rod might slide or twist with respect to the clamp during operation of the implement.
The length of the rod or standard should fall within the range of approximately 26 to 38 inches, the preferred length being approximately 30 to 34 inches. At its upper end, the upstanding rod is provided with guide means in the form of an S-shaped bend in the rod, the "S" being oriented so that one of the loops faces upwardly and the other is directed downwardly. The upwardly-opening loop acts as a support for the power cord, guiding the cord from the point of attachment to the implement in a direction upwardly and over the shoulder of the user. By passing the cord through the downwardly-facing loop as well as the upwardly-facing loop, the cord is effectively restrained against upward movement that might result in release of the cord by the guide means.
Ordinarily, the clamp of the bracket assembly is secured to a portion of the tubular handle that slopes upwardly and rearwardly from the wheeled housing of the implement. The point of attachment is selected so that the upper end of the rod will be located just above and directly in front of the user's shoulder. Since the rod is formed of steel or other durable but bendable material, the user, after attaching the support rod to the bracket in the manner described, may then bend the rod in the vicinity of the bracket to insure that the rod will be disposed generally vertically when the implement is in use.
Other features, objects, and advantages of the bracket assembly will become apparent from the specification and drawings.